Message from the President

Commencement is a joyous moment in the life of the University. I invite you to
join us for the 120th Spring Commencement exercises at The University of
Texas at Austin. The evening is not only an academic ritual, but also a
festive celebration marking an important rite of passage.

This event is a time for all of us-parents and children, teachers and students, administrators
and staff, friends and family. A time to pause for a moment, beneath a great
arc of fireworks and the magnificent presence of the UT Tower, to look back
on the experiences that have brought us to this milestone.

Paul Cret, architect and designer of the University of Texas Tower, wrote in 1931 that he envisioned
the Tower transcending its role as a building to become "the heart of the
campus" and "the image carried in our memory when we think of the place." The
majestic structure has exceeded Cret's vision. The UT Tower has become a
powerful symbol of higher education in Texas and beyond. Through the thousands
of graduates around the world who serve as its ambassadors, The University
of Texas at Austin represents Texas at large in the global community.

The words of nineteenth century educational advocate Dr. Oscar Henry Cooper
are engraved over the entrance of the Main Building's grand Academic Room. They
continue to define the heart and character of the institution - "The University
of Texas is not the lengthened shadow of any one man or group of men. It
is the noblest concrete embodiment of the best spirit of Texas."

I hope you will plan to be here as the University family gathers for this special
evening when we salute the achievements of our graduating students.